Another Democratic councilmember, Brianne Nadeau from Ward 1, expressed concern on X regarding the federal government’s actions, stating that “DC is under siege,” with “armed military patrolling our streets and masked agents detaining our neighbors.”
“Our residents feel fear and are reluctant to go out or work, expressing anger over the diminishing of our limited autonomy. This situation is far from welcome,” she commented.
In response to the Council’s disapproval, Bowser mentioned on Thursday that her extensive discussion on Wednesday might have had some points go unnoticed.
“Our guiding principle is the preservation of home rule and the district’s autonomy, especially over the past eight months where it has been evidently targeted. This aim has been consistent since the beginning of the federal officer deployment,” she explained.
“We did not request federal officers. We are successfully reducing crime, but now that they’re here, we intend to use them effectively to boost the achievements of the Metropolitan Police Department. That’s our approach,” she clarified regarding the D.C. police.
During her Wednesday address, Bowser shared that post-federal intervention, carjackings have fallen by 87% compared to last year, alongside a 45% decrease in violent crime and a 12% reduction in property crime, culminating in an overall crime drop of 15% in the district from the previous year.
“We know that when carjackings go down, when use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer, so this surge has been important to us,” she said.
Bowser also expressed some of the same concerns as the councilmembers. “We know having masked ICE agents in the community has not worked, and National Guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources,” she said.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement Wednesday that “crime is not a partisan issue.”
“Americans expect elected officials to prioritize their safety over politics. President Trump’s bold action and partnership with local law enforcement has quickly minimized violent crime and removed over a thousand criminals from the streets of our nation’s capital,” she said. “Other Democrat leaders who are criticizing President Trump for cleaning up D.C. should take notes on the tremendous success that Washington, D.C., has already experienced under President Trump’s leadership.”
